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The DNA of Wildly Successful People

Check out six traits that successful people have in common.

July 31, 2018

What’s your definition of a successful person? Is it Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey – maybe even your boss or favorite college professor? Everyone has a different view of success, from money and stardom to contentment. Yet, despite these differences, successful people are easy to spot. Many believe it’s because they share common traits that catapult them to the top – and it’s more than natural talent or intelligence.

With that in mind, let’s look at six attributes that make up the DNA of wildly successful people. Do you recognize any of them in you?

Optimism

There’s no place for Eeyore personalities in the storybook for success. Instead, successful people can easily identify what’s good in the world. It’s not all rose-colored glasses either. They recognize obstacles, but believe in their ability to help make the world an even better place.

Drive

The stories of many famously successful people begin with humble backgrounds. What sets them apart from other folks? More often than not it’s an unwavering drive to succeed that outpaces the rest of us. Hard work and determination became the hallmarks of their success, and they constantly strive to do more. Simply put, they want to be among the best.

Persistence

Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson worked at NASA during a time when career opportunities were limited for them, but thanks to their tenacity and persistence, they overcame discrimination and racial segregation to help America win the space race. Imagine if they had chosen to quit instead of pursuing solutions. Instead, they persisted, and their rocket trajectory calculations changed the world.

Accountability

There will always be times when things don’t go quite like you planned. The difference is, successful people take responsibility for their failures, and then look for ways to change course. In good times and bad, these individuals are accountable for their actions, and they are committed to finding solutions as a result.

Courage

Successful people are courageous and calculated risk-takers at heart. Oprah Winfrey, who hosted a morning talk show in Chicago, was willing to take a chance when she signed a syndication deal with King World, a move that propelled her to stardom and displaced “Donahue” as the No. 1 daytime talk show in America. Thinking of taking a calculated risk of your own? Start by consulting with your family, your mentors and your financial advisor.

Gratitude

People who approach life with a sense of gratitude tend to be more aware of what’s good and important in their world. When things go well, they are immediately thankful for the results, which is an attitude that naturally breeds more success. Even when these folks face the inevitable failures in life, they bounce back faster than the rest of us.